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The Red Sox are playing with my emotions

The Red Sox on Tuesday won one of the craziest games any baseball fan has seen. Chris Sale allowed 7 runs, Andrew Miller allowed 3, and sure handed closers Craig Kimbrel and Cody Allen each blew saves. Not to mention that Austin Jackson made one of the most ridiculous catches you will ever see. All of this madness was capped off by a strikeout to end that game that was nullified by a wild pitch and consequently ended with a walk off home run that landed somewhere in Keene, New Hampshire, by a guy who had only hit 4 home runs in his career.

Under normal circumstances, this type of game would get Red Sox bandwagon and casual fans (as myself) on the horse for the pennant race and potential postseason run. After watching the crazy game, I was so conflicted with how I felt about this team. On one hand, the Red Sox came through time after time and showed the resilience needed to make a long postseason run. Yet, there’s still an overriding issue preventing me to jumping on board.

Dennis Eckersley got a standing ovation from Red Sox fans on Tuesday night when the jumbo-tron showed him sitting in the Legends Suite. The ovation, a direct result from the incident with David Price, shows colors to how much of a scumbag Red Sox fans think Price is. The incident is still looming. The way the Red Sox have handled the case is just as concerning as the actual incident. Price was his usual self in his interview when asked about it on Saturday, by blaming Eck for not being around the clubhouse enough as if that was justification for the airplane attack. At this point, Price’s lack of contrition is sadly what is expected. It is other Red Sox’ comments that make it challenging to get behind this team.

Mookie Betts on WEEI on Wednesday opened up about not having David Ortiz around as a leader this year. His answer shows how soft this team is.

“All we knew here was David Ortiz. Just knowing that not one guy has taken the brunt, we have to understand that. And it took a little while to understand that. It took us a little while to find our identity. I think we’re starting to figure it out. Nobody is going to take a month and we are going to know. It may take us a couple of more years to fully understand it. I think we’re starting to kind of get it a little. We have to know that it’s not one guy and the rest of the team behind him. It’s five or six guys. On and off the field. You have to know that we’re all together.”

In other words, this team does not know what to do without Mr. Ortiz. A COUPLE MORE YEARS to figure it out. I didn’t think finding a leader was that complicated of a process. It also goes to show how Pedroia is far from the leader on this team, which has surprised many.

John Farrell also spoke on WEEI on Wednesday. Last week Farrell hesitated to say that there would be any apology from the team when asked by Dale Arnold. More alarming stuff came from the manager this week.

“I’m disappointed that a situation that did take place obviously, and I think David Price has been very clear on record he wished he had handled it differently. But when that becomes public, that’s disappointing because there are certain things that, you know, an altercation or conversation or something that takes place in your clubhouse, you want it to remain there. But when it becomes public that’s when it becomes a little bit disappointing.”

David Price came after Eck, Manager John. In what reality did you expect that not to come out? One of your players did something he should not have done and you are disappointed the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnessy did his job to unveil the details. Farrell also said in the interview that the matter has been dealt with internally. So I guess that explains the curious 10-day DL stint for Price the day he was scheduled to start at Fenway? Price himself rated the injury as a 1 out of 10. Judging by the reaction Eck got on Tuesday night, Price would have heard it from Sox fans.

Eck told Dan Shaughnessy on Tuesday that no one has apologized to him and that he has no interest in meeting with Price to talk things out.

The pennant race is well under way for the Sox. On the field, this team is in a good spot to make the playoffs and go on a run. You want to put your full support behind them as a Red Sox fan, especially after games like the one we witnessed on Tuesday nights. Off the field, you have a hard time throwing your support to this soft and irresponsible group of baseball players. They have failed time after time to take responsibility and are constantly showing how mentally soft they are. It’s fair to say that following the Sox this year has made me more emotional than I thought possible.

Matthew Cunha is a producer on The Drive, weekdays 4pm to 6pm on 92.9fm The Ticket and streaming live at DriveShowMaine.com. Follow us on Twitter, @DriveShowMaine and “Like Us” on Facebook, Drive Show Maine.